I, Too, Claim America

I’ve seen some talk about wearing black on this 4th of July or wearing the outfit from The Handmaid’s Tale or generally showing our separation from our country when it doesn’t seem the country is going the direction we want it to.

I’m thinking, let’s wear red, white, *and* blue as loud and proud as we want. Bright colors. Maybe glitter.
Let’s claim the ** out of this.

I, Too
by Langston Hughes – 1901-1967

“I, too, sing America.

I am the darker brother.
They send me to eat in the kitchen
When company comes,
But I laugh,
And eat well,
And grow strong.

Tomorrow,
I’ll be at the table
When company comes.
Nobody’ll dare
Say to me,
“Eat in the kitchen,”
Then.

Besides,
They’ll see how beautiful I am
And be ashamed—

I, too, am America.”

“Claim yourself, in defiance, in hope, in love, in fury, in gratitude. Claim the light. Claim the dark, Claim it all. Nothing can stay. ” – Beautiful Creatures, by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl